The present invention is drawn to an apparatus for providing a layer of loose material in plants for making cement tiles and the like.
According to Italian Patent No. 1,010,613 filed on Apr. 4, 1974 (France No. 7510455 filed on Apr. 3, 1975; Federal Republic of Germany No. P 2513072.7 filed on Mar. 25, 1975; Spain No. 436148 filed on Mar. 31, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,223 filed on Mar. 24, 1975; and Japan No. 37042/75 filed on Mar. 28, 1975) there is provided at least one bell-shaped element or the like, which is adapted to be placed under partial vacuum and equipped with a diaphragm or porous wall through which a layer of loose material to be transported is suction-held, and further equipped with a perimetrical edge encircling the diaphragm which must penetrate into a layer of material against which the porous diaphragm rests. The drawing element draws the material from a box movable below and relative to a feedbox. This causes uneveness in the density and compression of the material to be drawn, and therefore uneveness in the manufactured article formed by pressing. The invention prevents this drawback.